Is It Possible to Sew With A Fishing Line? – Our Guide

If you’ve found yourself in an emergency situation where you need to sew something but don’t have any thread, you might be wondering if it’s possible to sew with a fishing line instead?

For a one-off situation, fishing line is okay to sew with and can work well to sew backpacks or a shirt, for example, we do not suggest using sewing regularly with this fishing line, however.

We’ve put together a guide below which will take you through more about sewing with a fishing line, which thread you should use for sewing and what else you can use in an emergency situation.

Is A Braided Fishing Line Okay To Sew With?

As we mentioned above, you can get away with sewing using a fishing line a few times if needed instead of standard nylon thread, we would suggest you remember however that sewing fabrics are often lighter weight than fishing line thread, so the pressure and weight of the thread could cause the fabric to tear.

How To Use A Fishing Line To Sew

If you want to use a fishing line in your sewing machine to sew with, we suggest following these steps for the best results.

• Figure the curls you want to make and sew with on your fishing line, next attach your fishing line to the spool thread of the machine, you can use a normal presser foot with this thread but we suggest changing it to zig-zag stitch.
• Sew your curly hem with the fishing line then sew back over the thread in order to close off the hem.

Can I Use Dental Floss For Sewing?

If you can use a fishing line for sewing, you might be wondering if you could use dental floss for sewing too when you are short of thread for a sewing project?

Dental floss can indeed be used for sewing, but we do not suggest putting it in your machine, you want to use a light waxed dental floss for sewing so that it can be strong enough for your fabric but easy enough to work with, burn the ends off with a lighter.

Why Thread Quality Is Important When Sewing

Although you can get away with using a fishing line or dental floss occasionally when sewing, the best option for sewing is a high-quality regular thread since this is suited to most sewing fabrics and is also the most durable.

Thread quality is important if you want to create high-quality products and a finished product which lasts for a long time.

What’s The Best Thread To Use For Sewing?

The best thread to choose for sewing comes down to what you are sewing since different threads are suited to different fabrics.

Most of the time however the best regular thread you can buy is nylon thread coated with resin.

Is Fishing Line And Nylon Sewing Thread The Same?

Since the fishing line contains nylon, you might be wondering if these threads are the same, fishing lines however are a combination of nylon and other materials.

Nylon thread tends to be thicker than the average fishing line, braided fishing lines are thicker, however. Some people have used nylon thread for fishing however but it doesn’t hold weight as well so might snap.

How To Sew Without A Needle

If you don’t have any thread on hand, you now know you can use dental floss or fishing line instead, but what about the needle, how do you sew if you don’t have a sewing needle on hand?

• Straight pin – Straight pins like nails are a great backup as a needle for sewing.
• Toothpick – Plastic toothpicks should be sharp enough to get through the material, thread will likely fall off the toothpick, however.
• Staple – Straighten one end of the staple, bend the end and tie the thread to it, this is quite weak for sewing, however.
• Fish hook – In order to use a fish hook as a sewing needle you will need to remove the hook from the end and cut it so it can be sharp enough to go through the fabric.
• Nail – A small nail could potentially be used for fishing, you can do this by tieing the thread to the head of the nail, making sure the knot is tight then pulling it gently through the fabric.

What To Use Instead Of A Thread & Needle

If you don’t have a thread and needle on hand for sewing or a similar backup, then you might need to try the following methods.

• Fusible adhesive – This comes in sewable and non-sewable styles, you will need iron for this. Never try and use non-sewable options in your sewing machine.
• Fabric tape – Like fabric glue, fabric tape is easy to apply to materials, just have some scissors on hand for cutting the tape.
• Fabric glue – This is a great option to glue hems and makes repairs to the material.
• Fusible tape – Iron is needed to bond fusible tape to the material, you will need to iron both sides to make it stick.
• Fusible webbing – Paper backing on this kind of webbing makes the material easy to glue together, you will need an iron to do this.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sewing With A Fishing Line

What thread for sewing jeans should I use?

For sewing heavy-duty materials like jeans, we recommend using polyester thread, there are also specific sewing machines which are better for sewing heavy duty materials (we have listed here).

Can I sew with any standard nylon thread?

Most of the time you can sew with any standard nylon thread, some threads will be durable according to the kind of fabric you are sewing.

What thread do I need for heavy-duty sewing work?

V-69 is best used for heavy-duty sewing work and is considered one of the best for working with heavy-duty materials such as denim since the stitch remains strong despite the tension.

Could I use a braided fishing line in a sewing machine?

Using a braided fishing line as a thread for sewing in a machine is not advised, but possible when sewing fabric, however, this kind of thread is very strong and could potentially tear the fabric if not used with care.

Final Words

Overall, it is possible to sew with a braided fishing line, it might however tear the fabric due to its heavy weight. You can also use waxed dental floss for sewing in emergencies.

If you do not have a needle and thread on hand and need to repair clothes or material, fabric glue/tape can make a good alternative.